For
those not familiar with us, we are a community organisation that has been
active since 1976 despite the passing of our revered founder Ibu
(madame, mother or Mrs in 'bahasa'
Indonesia)
Gedong Bagoes Oka (1921 - 2002). It is now being run by the trusted
confidants of Ibu with the
support her six sons, particularly through their generous consent for the
continued use of the Candidasa land for Ashram's purposes. This was a
commitment, in line with the wishes of the late Pak (short of Bapak for
father or Mr in bahasa) and Ibu I Gusti Bagoes Oka (pictured around the time the Ashram was founded,
courtesy Ms. Charlotte Borggreve, then a young guest of the family), given to Ibu during her last days before her
passing.

Activities

The
Ashram is pursuing its stated vision at many levels. In the local community the
focus is on delivering actual health and education services through its well
established Nature Cure Health Clinic (acupuncture and traditional herbal
medicine), introducing Gandhian ideals to the Ashram run kindergarten and to
its own cadres of Ashram's young members. At the regional and provincial levels
the Ashram name is still respected from its principled stands back to Ibu's
days and has recently been enhanced by the election of Pak I Nyoman
Sadra - her protege,
right hand man and former long time Chair of the
Ashram since her passing till 2009 - to the parliament of eastern Bali regency
of Karangasem. At the national and international levels it is more about the
promotion of Gandhian ideas and values by working together with a network of
similar minded Gandhian, inter-faith and peace organisations.

The
Ashram has hosted numerous symposiums and workshop on these over the years and
its leadership is actively engaged in the all critical inter-faith initiatives
in Indonesia,
largely through its close cooperation with a much respected Indonesian
interfaith organisation called Interfidei. Ibu was a prominent co-founder and
former vice-president of World Conference of Religions for Peace and a trustee of Sarvodaya
International Trust (note a picture of Ibu
in the middle of the group photo), to name a couple. In the latter, after she
passed away she was replaced by Pak I Nyoman Sadra who has been with Ibu since the Ashram's inception and a
village and community activist in his own right.

The 'Economics'

The
Ashram derives its income for daily upkeep primarily from paying guests and
general/project specific donations for capital works. The much more expensive
tertiary education funding is raised and managed separately by the tireless
friend of the Ashram, the NZ based Pak Terry Cox. In return the
members work outside school hours to maintain the upkeep of the Ashram and the
bungalows for the paying guests. They also help during the seed planting and
harvesting of the Ashram's offsite farms that are otherwise tilled with
nonviolent or organic farming methods by
tenant farmers with the Ashram
sharing some of the produce such as beans, nuts or rice.

The
members have a strict routine of puja
or pray time four times a day plus English, general or yoga lessons with the
guests when they are not at school. Generally the young Ashram members have an
advantage in English through these lessons and through interaction with the
guests at the Ashram, plus the confidence that is very much reflected in their
generally good report cards with some at or near the top of the class,
therefore enhancing their future employment prospects in Bali
considerably.

Whilst
the Candidasa Ashram is our main full-functioning ashram we do have two other
ashrams with somewhat reduced activities namely the GGA Vydiapith in Denpasar
(Bali) and Yogyakarta (Central Java). These
ashrams mainly housed our university student members, some are 'graduates' from
the Candidasa Ashram who are continuing their studies on Ashram's facilitated
scholarships, but there are others who are self-funding students who are
attracted to the Ashram life and get free accommodation in return. The Denpasar
Ashram is on a freehold site whereas the Yogyakarta Ashram has the house's
annual lease paid for by Gedong Gandhi Ashram, or by donation from one of Ibu's
sons.

Personnel & Organisation

Since
about mid last year 2009 Ibu Mas Mayuni, an unassuming retired school
teacher from a nearby village of Budakeling, a cousin of the sons and a
respected and close confidant of Ibu and her supporter throughout Ibu's
works, was elected as the new Chair of the Ashram. By choice and partly
due to her limited English she has been involved with the internal affairs of
the Ashram where she has been a real asset and 'acquisition' for the Ashram.
Her serene, calm and caring disposition along with her compassionate leadership
role as a model school principal have equipped her well and her contribution in
improving 'simply' the Ashram's esprit de corps is never to be
underestimated. Many comments from guests, old friends and members of the
Ashram merely confirmed this.

Meanwhile
at about the same time Pak Sadra has been elected to the Karangasem Regency's
Parliament where he has been a shining beacon in keeping the governments, and
the parliament itself, accountable in adhering to the proper governance
processes. This is something that would have made his reformist and principled
mentor, the late Ibu Gedong, very proud indeed as, further more, it also
means the definite leveraging in our effort to introduce Ashram and
Gandhian values into the offices of local, regional, provincial and even
national government bodies.

However,
despite his incredible official work load Pak Sadra is still the Vice
Chair and is still very much part of the Ashram. He deals with and
represent the Ashram externally, still the practising acupuncturist at the
clinic (as the other, Uki Ruktini, is now taking greater responsibility) and,
by passion coming from a family of traditional builder, is still involved with
the building side that has delivered many new and renovation projects at very
competitive prices.

Ibu
Mas and Pak Sadra of course can not do things by themselves and are ably
assisted by long time members that old friends of the Ashram will be familiar
with namely Jata (building & maintenance), Sitep (kitchen), Kawidana (yoga,
admin, 'home' education of young members), Uki Ruktini (clinic, admin), Komang
Karsa (transport & general upkeep), Wenten (housekeeping) and our resident
'mascot' Cebur.

These
senior members are now ably assisted by the younger school-age members. They
mostly come from poor rural families and seem to want to be there and extremely
hardworking for the opportunity to study and better their prospects.